


Katsuki Yuuri: Infamous Dragonslayer

by Jeneeness



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dragons, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Mild Blood, Near Death Experiences
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-15
Updated: 2017-10-15
Packaged: 2019-01-17 23:19:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,036
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12376218
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jeneeness/pseuds/Jeneeness
Summary: After a devastating event, a shy and unassuming Katsuki Yuuri becomes a capable and ruthless dragon slayer. With the help of his friend and partner Phichit Chulanont, an expert in dragon studies, they track down a dragon that alters their lives forever.(Highkey inspired by one of my favorite movies of all time: Dragonheart.)





	1. The Ice Dragon

**Author's Note:**

> Rated Teen and up just in case. Blood mention and death mention in this chapter.

Yuuri was a young boy when his life changed forever. It was a winter afternoon, when Yuuri happily played with his beloved friend around the fireplace, using each other to keep warm. The village was quiet when they heard a strange, repetitive sound in the distance. Then a shrill roar. The brave souls that had been outside enjoying the chill in the air were the first to scream, leading to the townspeoples' collective mistake: Everyone went outside. Yuuri's parents opened the door, quietly instructing Yuuri to stay inside. He nodded, having every intention of obeying, until his friend squeezed outside between them. Yuuri gasped, pushing through the doorway to run after him. Toward the lake, he saw it. An enormous white, winged creature. An ice dragon. Icy blue ice emitted from his jaw, freezing the lake and everything around it. Snow seemed to crawl, alive, from the banks, an avalanche coursing through the town. Paniked screams, muffled, then gone. His eyes found his friend, only to watch him be frozen over, like he was never there. Yuuri can remember screaming, but perhaps it was only the others. A silent scream.

  
The memory haunted him day and night. However, the memory was overwhelmingly vivid in dreams. Yuuri could smell the ice. Feel the frost and chill on his skin. Screaming rattling his mind. His world frozen under ice of an ice dragon. He lost a friend, and a gentle soul turned ravenous for revenge.

 

* * *

 

 

Yuuri trained to fight obsessively. He studied dragons obsessively. Phichit, his best friend and partner, tracked dragons obsessively. While Phichit wanted to learn and study them, Yuuri only wanted the one, imagining the satisfaction of blood, red contrasting against the snow white scales. This dragon was clever. He used his ice as an offense and defense, escaping Yuuri's wrath encounter after encounter. Infuriating to Yuuri, the damned thing seemed to enjoy it. Kindling the fire in Yuuri's heart, threatening to engulf them both. He cut down every dragon they tracked. One by one, a dragon met Yuuri's blade, in turn wiping out every dragon that could do harm. Every dragon slayed was one step closer to "Deddo": a name Yuuri had given him. A name meaning "dead", after all, the ice dragon was as good as dead. Some dragons tried to bribe him, eat him, seduce him, reduce him to ash, only to meet their end.  
  
It was a warm summer. Yuuri and Phichit were in between villages, stopping to rest their horses, again.

"It shouldn't be much further," Phichit breathed through a sigh of relief and an optimistic smile, before he shuddered, "Did you feel that?"

Yuuri did feel it. He swallowed as he clenched his jaw, focusing his senses on the landscape, looking for a force that could chill the air in the middle of summer. Yuuri nodded, "He has to be here," he speculated, hopeful and determined.

"I think you're right. We need to get out of the open, and check your equipment before we run into hi- oh...my...." Phichit's eyes widened, his mouth open in awe, as the dragon flew up into their sights, from behind the hill. It was chasing a deer. Hardly a challenge for a large creature it seemed. It landed shaking the earth, and with one snap of its jaws, the deer was gone. Phichit's eyes sparkled with amazement, tearing them away to see Yuuri's expression, dark and focused.

"I found you," Yuuri whispered, for no one in particular to hear. He mounted his horse in one swift motion running straight toward it.

"Yuuri! I really think we should-!" Phichit gave up, biting his lip with a defeated whine.

Yuuri's eyes narrowed on his target, curling up lazily after his meal. Why wouldn't it sleep in its den? Curling up lazily out in the open. This dragon was infuriating in every way. Yuuri sent his horse back to Phichit, after he dismounted still in motion. The first assault, a bow and arrow. Yuuri aimed. The eye to wake him up and expose his underbelly. Fire. He listened to the arrow fly, reaching back for a handful before the first made contact. On target. The dragon reared up in a roar, shaking its massive head to dislodge the arrow. It's first instinct was to fly. Yuuri shot 3 arrows through a wing above him. On target. The dragon caught on, this was no ordinary dragonslayer. It's eyes locked on, landing feet from Yuuri, a threatening roar. Close combat meant switching weapons.

"I'm flattered you followed me all of the way out here, my favorite dragonslayer," the dragon purred.

Yuuri seethed. Each of the dragons he has faced had a special set of skills. Getting under Yuuri's skin and pissing him off were 2 of those included, "Shut up and die!" Several hours passed. Steel cutting through flesh, ice threatening to encase. Yuuri tucked and rolled nimbly, bracing his shield against the onslaught of the dragon's ice breath. The white ice dragon flung his tail under Yuuri, knocking him off his feet, nearly clamping his jaws around him, Yuuri sliced a shallow cut across the snout, "I'll kill you, dragon! I swear it!"

The carefree attitude returned, the constant annoyance of Yuuri, "It's always the same with you. What did I ever do to make you so angry," the dragon teased as he sat relaxed, in contrast to Yuuri's cautious stance.

"You killed my best friend," he shouted.

The dragon scoffed, "I've only killed those who have tried to kill me. You're deranged, human."

"When you froze over Hasetsu," the memory weighed on his body, causing his limbs to drop his stance gradually, "My best friend, Vicchan, perished."

"Oh, Hasetsu," the creature's voice dropped sadly. His eyes turned up and looked to the sky as if the memory played for him there. He turned towards Yuuri, and added in a defensive tone, "It was an accident. I was trying to freeze the lake!"

Yuuri shouted, pain shaking his voice, "You buried the city in ice and snow! Hardly anyone survived! Vicchan was the best dog in the world and my best friend and it's your fault he's dead!" His chest heaved with angry breaths.

Time around them seemed to have stopped. "The best what," the dragon ducked his head level with Yuuri's height, "I killed... A dog?"

Huge blue eyes pleaded with Yuuri, waiting for an answer. Ice blue eyes speckled with dark blues seemed to be shrouded in frost and heavy with sadness, aside from one partially closed, a dry stream of blood leading from it.

Yuuri froze to the spot, "Y- Yes." As soon as he had voiced his answer, the dragon reared back and roared, practically howling, filled with a sound that resembled something of anguish. Yuuri tensed as the dragon roared, yet an attack never came. A frosty wind swirled around them, concealing the dragon from view. Yuuri shielded his eyes from the ice that stung his face, his hair blew about his face.

From the frost, a silver haired man clad in white appeared, kneeling on both knees before Yuuri, "Kill me. I deserve it," his eyes stayed low.  
Yuuri searched around him frantically, "Wh- Where's the dragon?"

"It's me," the man muttered.

Yuuri blinked in confusion, appraising the man, "But you're a-"

"A monster," the man looked up to reveal ice blue eyes, striking in resemblance to the dragon's, "Bring your blade down on my head." His eyes dropped again.

Yuuri sheathed his weapon, kneeled to rest on the heels of his feet, taking the man's jaw into his hands lifting his face to reveal his eyes, examining the eyes curiously.

The man's eyes flickered back and forth between the brown eyes, a smile forming against Yuuri's grasp, "Wow, you're really beautiful up close."

Yuuri blinked, widening his eyes, dropping the face and standing at the feeling of blood rushing to his face, "Don't try and flatter me. I've heard of dragons' tricks."

A bone chilling smirk revealed sharp canines, sending a chill through Yuuri's frame, "I can show you other tricks."

"Stop it," Yuuri drew his sword, placing it under the man's chin, the metal cold against his skin, "How did you change?"

"A trick learned when dragonslaying nearly wiped us all out."

"It doesn't work," Yuuri's lips pressed into a hard line.

"Ah, so you're the human I've heard about, _Yuuri_ ," his mouth twitched as he attempted a smile, instead his face fell in grief, "You've killed most of my friends."

"You can blame yourself. I was looking for you," his pressed his blade deeper, causing a small trail of blood to trickle, frost escaping the wound.

The man winced, "Well, I'd be flattered if not for the circumstance. Do you mind? I asked for a swift painful death, not to be bled like a pig."

Yuuri did as he was asked, this... thing did not seem as threatening in this form, "I've been hunting you for years, and now you're... kneeling."

"Is that what you like," the man asked curiously, grunting when Yuuri stomped him into the ground.

"Enough," Yuuri demanded, "I can't kill you... Like this."

Victor sighed into the dirt, a weak chuckle, causing small clouds of dirt as he spoke, "Well that's a relief," he breathed into the ground. Yuuri lifted his foot, offering a hand to him. The man smiled, accepting it, "This is where I pledge my service to you, isn't it?" He   hid a smile, dusting himself off.

"For what?"

"The old code, sparing my life."

"Dragons follow the old code?"

"Of course."

"Hm," Yuuri thought, having a dragon at his beck and call would certainly prove advantageous... To a less emotional and conflicted person perhaps, "I'll think about it. Stay here. I don't want you killing me in my sleep." He turned to walk away, soreness of battle stinging his limbs. 

"Please. I can think of far more pleasant things to do to you while you sleep."

Yuuri shuddered, due to being surrounded by bone chilling air, or by the overly flirtatious dragon, was anyone's guess. He summoned his horse, joining with Phichit, making their way to their place of rest.

As he watched him go, the man placed his hands on his hips, a satisfied smile on his lips, "I definitely could have kissed him. He probably would have run me through though... Definitely worth it," he mused. Realization struck him, he growled low in his gut, "I didn't even tell him my name."

 

Once Yuuri settled into the room Phichit had secured at the nearest inn, they made their way to a quiet tavern to discuss the battle in detail.

"So, you're telling me, the dragon you've been hunting for 5 years, can disguise itself as human, is flirting with you, loves dogs or something," his friend Phichit surmised, "And now he offers his life."

Yuuri nodded slightly.

"I'm not even surprised. Your life is a strange one."

"Phichit, I've killed so many, what if they were human? I've been killing humans!"

A few people turned, a sheepish smile from them both, Phichit continued, "Well, is it enough for you that he is your slave?"

"I have no need for a slave. And..." He pictured the hurt in those enormous eyes, "He seemed... hurt, when I told him about Vicchan."

"This is very interesting. Will he let me study him," Phichit asked, "I can create the most extensive dragon study in history!"

Yuuri smiled, "We can try." His face softened, "Maybe I can redeem myself by granting his wish... And offering my condolences for his friends."

Phichit pitied the look in Yuuri's eyes, guilt weighing on his features, "On our travels, we have never seen dragons travel together. You didn't know they had friends," he attempted in consolation.

It would take more than one conversation to subside the guilt growing exponentially in Yuuri's heart. "We'll go see him tomorrow," he decided. The slayer and the scholar would set out together at dawn.

 

As Phichit and Yuuri approached the place where Yuuri last left the dragon, the hill was quiet, aside from the noise of a bustling market far in the background, and the breeze through the tall dry grass. It took straining their ears to hear faint shallow breaths from nearby. A burrow, hidden in the side of the hill, had been dug. As they approached, ice was freezing and receding as the dragon inhaled and exhaled steadily, asleep.

"Oh my god, Yuuri, he is marvelous. A perfect specimen," Phichit's eyes sparkled, as he stepped closer.

"Wait, Phichit," Yuuri called quietly. His friend stopped.

"Uh, Dragon," Yuuri bellowed, embarrassed at the sudden realization he did not know his name, "I have returned."

"Wow, so articulate," Phichit mumbled as he rolled his eyes.

"Shut up," Yuuri shouted in a whisper. The dragon's eyes blinked open, revealing the bright blue, Phichit could be heard gasping behind him.

"Yuuri," the dragon cooed happily, then stretching the kinks out of his monumental frame. The familiar swirling frost revealed the man, "You came back for me," walking toward the flustered slayer with is arms opened to him.

Yuuri stopped him at arms length, "For your servitude."

"Perfect," the man smiled. His eyes moved to  Phichit, who looked to be in a state of paralysis, "Who is this?"

"This is Phichit, my closest friend and a scholar who studies dragons. What are you called?"

The silver haired man thought a moment, "You probably can't pronounce it in the old tongue. It's a title given to me for overcoming many battles. You can call me Victor."

Yuuri nodded, "Okay," internally satisfied that his battle hadn't been in similar outcome.

Phichit stepped in, bowing his head respectfully, "Victor, I would be honored if I could examine you in dragon form."

Victor looked to Yuuri, receiving no declination, he nodded "Okay."

 

Yuuri relaxed at the side of the hill as the setting sun lit the sky a beautiful gold. One thought led to another, quickly turning into a downward spiral of guilt regarding his previous encounters with dragons. Victor's words rang softly in his mind, ' _You've killed most of my friends_ ,' the usual teasing smirk, turning downward solemnly. _Most of_. His heart skipped slightly at the words. His thoughts were so loud, he could not register the soft footsteps in the grass behind him.

"You seem troubled," Victor voiced behind him, startling Yuuri.

Yuuri stood dusting himself off, "It's nothing. Is Phichit finished?"

"He's studied every inch of me, is he always so thorough?"

Yuuri laughed, "He's worried he may never have another chance to study a dragon up close." ... And alive, he nearly added.

"If it pleases you, I will let him study me anytime."

"Um, thank you. I'm sure he'll be thrilled."

"He wants to watch me hunt tomorrow, thinking I have a hunting pattern. Truthfully, if I see something I want to eat, I eat it."

Yuuri laughed, he seemed to be laughing more than usual.


	2. The Opportunity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuri can't bring himself to fully accept the end of his quest. A quest for revenge, squandered by his own hand. The monster he sought, was nothing like the nearly clueless, eager to please thing he came to know. Emotions escape the tight lid he keeps on them, finally meeting the breaking point. An obstacle is overcome, but another always waits for them around the next corner. Hope you enjoy!
> 
> ***Please read the notes***

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Anxiety/panic attack.  
> I will say, I googled what to do if someone has an anxiety attack, not saying it's going to do the job every time, but it's worked for me. It does have Phichit guiding Yuuri through it. I'll star ** where it starts getting descriptive and end when the images start.
> 
> You can tell where Phichit is purposely putting images into his head. Phichit is a beautiful soul.

A warm breeze blew over the hills, creating constant motion in the tall yellow grass and trees along the forest line. The trio kept close to the trees to shade themselves and their horses from the beating sun. Unsure of what role he was supposed to fill now, Victor remained in the human shape, to keep close to his new... “acquaintances”. He rode behind Phichit, sharing a horse until an opportunity came to purchase another. Victor initially insisted on riding with Yuuri, that was until he had received that glare. The same glare he had had seen so many times before. Phichit and Victor prattled on topic after topic, only stopping to take sips of water from their canteen, while Yuuri remained content in silence, despite Phichit's attempts to rope him into conversation.

Yuuri's gaze stayed intently ahead of them, his mind in shambles as he doubted and clawed to understand his actions. His body was tense, acknowledging somewhere in the far reaches of his mind it was disrupting his movement in riding his horse, and his blood was cold, freezing the breath in his lungs. Memories of cascading, snowy avalanches and chilling screams plagued him every time he looked at the dragon, and now that was more often than ever. Half of his life, he wanted nothing more than to see the dragon a lifeless, majestic corpse, and now... He was here, gushing over something called  _ pirozhki _ , as if he belonged here.

"Yuuri, we need to stop for water," Phichit called from behind him, bursting him from his dark musings.

"Try not talking so much," Yuuri called back, receiving a 'Never going to happen, Yuuri.'. He looked around him, no water in their line of sight. The two of them had been nomadic for the passed five years, they had ways of finding water, but now... "Victor, fly up and see if you can-"

"Okay!" Victor exclaimed, kicking his leg over Phichit’s head, gracefully descending from the horse. He sprinted a short distance away, changing his to his original form, pushing himself off into the sky with immeasurable strength and speed, throwing in a few flips.

Phichit chuckled quietly to himself, "Show off."

Yuuri watched him wide eyed. He had commanded a dragon. The dragon he sought to kill, under his control. A sensation settled into his frame, unfamiliar, and still mixed with apprehension.

"I haven't seen you smile like that in years."

"Huh? I wasn't-"

"Sure, sure."

Yuuri flushed, accepting arguing was futile. Theycontinued in silence along the forest line, until they eventually arrived at a human Victor. "Find anything," Yuuri asked.

Victor nodded with a satisfued smile, "A freshwater spring a few miles inland from right here,” he chirped.

"Good," Yuuri replied curtly as the turned his horses to head into the forest. He turned as he heard Phichit's horse trotting beside him, receiving a swift kick to his his leg by the rider. Ignoring his complaining, he gestured to Victor. "Oh, um, good... Good work, Victor," Yuuri stuttered..

An unadulterated grin spread over Victor's features, eyes sparkling like ice in the sun, "Thank you," He climbed up behind Phichit, as Phichit assited him by hoisting him up behind him.

Yuuri nodded, a flush dusting the bridge of his nose as he glared at Phichit.

 

They camped near the water that night, surrounded by the lively noises of the forest, blending with the sound of metal on metal as Yuuri sharpened his blades. Phichit approached Yuuri at his tent, settling beside him, "I know you don't like going into town, but we need supplies and a horse."

Yuuri nodded, "We'll head west in the morning."

"And Yuuri?" He waited until Yuuri looked up to meet his eyes, "We... Need to figure out what we're going to do. Do... You want to continue?"

Yuuri set his blades down beside him bringing his knees to his chest, answering after a few moments, "I can't."

Phichit nodded, "I thought so." He smiled, "I can finally write my book, pull my notes together," Phichit’s optimistic smile nearly faltered as Yuuri's knees were hugged tighter under his chin to his chest. "Maybe we can be bounty hunters. No one can track and fight like we can," Phichit placed a comforting hand on his friend's shoulder, "We'll figure it out, we always do." As he spoke, they felt a shaking in the ground, and the trees rustled across the clearing. Instinctively, Yuuri reached for his blade. Phichit stayed his hand, "Relax, it's probably just Victor. I sent him hunting.”

"You sent- Phichit, I could have-"

Phichit waved him off, "He wants to be helpful. I say let him, besides, he's another mouth to feed, and we don't even know much he eats. Just get some knives and help me skin, kay," Phichit pat his shoulder to meet Victor... Victor, still enormous even if smaller in comparison to towering trees around them, stomped closer to the campsite, dropping large game from his jaws. Phichit pat the dragons snout, as if it were the most natural action in the world, "Thanks, buddy." Victor changed form, surrounded by a small flurry of magic, then helping Phichit carry the kills near the clearing.

Yuuri walked over surveying the deer, admitting they were good size. Even the doe... Phichit must have followed his gaze and guessed.

"It's my fault, Yuuri, I should have told him before,” Phichit lifted his eyes from the doe and Yuuri, to Victor, “In the future, just stags, okay, Victor? We appreciate your help."

Victor cocked his head curiously, "Why?" Food was food after all.

Yuuri clenched his fists, "Because if you kill the does, that leaves the fawns alone, that's why! Parents die and the children are alone, not that you would understand," he firmly grasped an antler of the stag and dragged it behind him to the center of the clearing, roughly setting down his supplies to start a fire.

Victor and Phichit exchanged looks, while Victor looked mortally wounded, it was the last thing Yuuri saw, before the monster in his mind overcame his composure.

**

Yuuri skinned with a fluid and trained hand, having done this more than a few times, however gradually turning rough and unrefined. Tears burned behind his eyes, threatening to overflow with the emotions Yuuri had forced deep down into his being. His hand moved quickly, blood spilling over his hands, onto his clothes and the ground, a lot less tactful and rough than he usually was. His breathing hitched, and he began to gasp for air as if there were none left to breath. Yuuri knew what this was, and it wouldn't happen in front of Victor, he wouldn't show weakness to the one he wanted dead, or didn't want dead. It wasn’t going to happen.

Phichit stood in front of him, calling his name softly, not daring to touch him with the way he was wielding that knife. "Yuuri, Victor is gone. We need to breath, remember? Put the knife down, please," he spoke calmly.

Yuuri stilled his sweeping movements, his hand shook, knuckles white from gripping the knife tightly as if it were the only thing keeping him together. He could hear a wheezing from far away, shrilling against the pounding of his heart, soon realizing it was him.

"The knife, Yuuri," Phichit said with more authority, laced with concern.

He heard the knife drop in the dirt and ragged breaths.

**

"Good. Breath and hold it," Phichit paused for a few moments, before continuing, “Let it out." Yuuri did not succeed in a smooth breath, it was nearly impossible to manage the first attempt, "Try again. Breath. Hold it... Good. Same way again."

Yuuri followed the short commands as best as he could on his own, struggling to keep his breath from getting away from him.

"When we head to the market, I'm getting a hamster this time, I don't care what you say," he stated firmly.

Yuuri made a sound resembling a chuckle, thinking back to their numerous arguments over the animal vendors’ stalls.

"I can train him to spy, write messages with his feet."

Yuuri formed the image in his head, it was ridiculous, "As long as- you don't buy him clothes," he breathed.

"No promises," he teased, ruffling the boys hair, knowing his job was done, "Change your clothes and rest, I'll finish up."

Yuuri stood feeling grateful and left with no energy to argue, dragging his feet to the place he had made himself to sleep. He drifted peacefully, darkness sweeping over his throbbing head instantly. When he woke, the sun had set, and a lone fire and the moon lit up the clearing. He woke to the sizzle of meat in a pan and an enticing smell. Yuuri propped himself up on his elbow.

"Hey, sleepy head, should be almost done," Phichit called.

Yuuri searched the space through sleepy eyes, not seeing Victor until he spotted his form lying near his tent on the other side.

"Oh, I saw some mushrooms on the way in that would go great with this, be right back guys," Phichit jogged off before Yuuri could protest.

Yuuri stood with a sigh, knowing Phichit would never leave meat unattended unless for some ulterior motive. He tended to the food, moving it lazily around the pan.

"I'm sorry, Yuuri."

He stiffened when he heard the voice, quickly.reminding him of the moments before he had slept, "I overreacted. Just no does… Please," Yuuri replied in a low voice, hating the minor, audible crack in his voice.

Victor rose, moving to sit a short distance away, "It's not just about the deer, is it," he watched him intently through his hair dangling past his face.

Yuuri moved his lip against his teeth as he thought, "No."

After a few beats, silence filled by the night life of the forest, sizzles, and crackling fire, Victor continued, "If it helps, I'll never forgive myself for what I did either."

An accident, Yuuri remembered he had said before. His lips pressed into a thin line, deciding he wasn't ready to hear another side of the story that haunted both waking and sleeping moments, "Have you ever cooked your food?"

Victor smiled, "I've eaten cooked food when I snuck into villages, but I've never cooked my own."

Yuuri gestured for him to come to the pot, and Victor eagerly obliged. They added another row of strips into the pan and Victor cooked them as Yuuri added flavorings to them. Yuuri frowned as Phichit returned: Empty handed. "What happened to the mushrooms," Yuuri accused.

"Poisonous," Phichit shrugged.

Yuuri eyed him, "Right."

 

As promised, they headed west to the market to restock, purchase new supplies for their newest addition, and to regroup. The sun was high as they approached the market, bustling despite the summer heat. Yuuri adjusted some of the easier to carry supplies his numerous bags and satchels over his shoulders, as he waited for Phichit to finish his purchase.

"Are they food," Victor asked, leaning close to Phichit’s hand, equally curious and perplexed, as Phichit fawned over a rodent in the palm of his hand.

"No! Draco is not food!" Phichit exclaimed, shielding the animal with his free hand. He paid the vendor, for the animal as well as a few supplies.

Later, Yuuri closely examined a set of high quality bowstrings, as he heard his name called by an unfamiliar voice.

"Katsuki Yuuri, a message from the king."

Phichit looked up immediately from his potential wares at the adjacent stall, setting them down quickly joining a stricken Yuuri.

Victor watched as they both looked like they had been caught doing something they hadn’t.

The man shifted on his feet, looking as if he was in a constant state of exasperation, "My lord, are you indeed Katsuki Yuuri?"

Yuuri swallowed, they had found him, he couldn't avoid it when it was right in front of him, staring him in the face, "Yes, sir."

The man unrolled his parchment, reading it with struggle against the murmuring of the crowd and the intermittent calls of merchants, "The king cordially invites men and women from all around the Kingdom of Lambiel to participate in the annual summer tournament. The Prince has personally requested your attendance by name, because," the messenger paused to sigh, "because dragonslaying is badass and I want to see him kick ass. No, don't write that. Fine, whatever."

Phichit and Yuuri exchanged confused looks, Phichit shrugged. Yuuri bowed his head in respect, "I'm sorry, I must decline the invitation."

The man hummed, "The Prince felt you may decline due to your... Circumstances, but he asked I pass on that he can assist you in entering under a false name, and guarantee your safety if you wish to participate."

"How," Yuuri and Phichit asked in unison, Victor hanging on every word.

"He wishes to speak with you on your arrival... It may be the ticket to clearing your name, he said, rather seriously I might add."

"Just a second," Phichit interjected, turning Yuuri back toward the booth by the shoulder, "I think it's a trap. A ridiculous one too. Like you're just going to walk in there and-"

"It... Could clear our names, and we could tell the king we quit dragonslaying, and," Yuuri paused, "The prize could set us up for a long time if not forever. Maybe we should try. What do we have to lose?"

Phichit blinked, "You can't be serious."

"The Prince is on our side, that has to count for something," Yuuri urged.

Phichit sighed, "I guess I better buy some tools and research how break someone from jail."

Yuuri turned quickly, "We, er, I accept!"

"Very well," the man made a note on his parchment, "The tournament will take place in a weeks time, at the palace. It is recommened you arrive a day early to prepare and recieve assignments. Prince Yuri will be very pleased," the man mounted his horse, and rode deftly through the crowd.

 

"I'm surprised you didn't know," Phichit mused as checked to make sure their supplies were secured to their horses properly, "Dragonslaying is illegal."

Victor's eyes widened, "Really?" His voice nearly going up an octave in surprise.

Phichit nodded, "When the new king took power, and Yuuri and I... Had slain a few dragons, he made it law. Since then, we haven't been able to set foot into civilization without watching our backs."

"What if Yuuri is caught," Victor asked, making eye contact for a moment with Yuuri.

Phichit sighed, "Yuuri thinks it's worth the risk. I think it's a terrible idea, but let's face it, he's too stubborn to argue with," he checked Victor's reins, and harness on their new addition: a white mare, with grey spots with a flowing white mane. Satisfied, Phichit hoisted himself onto his mount, nodding to Yuuri he was ready, "Into the lion’s den."

“The lion’s den,” Victor inquired.

“You know, heading straight into the place where things want to eat us, or in this case kill us,” Phichit laughed, “I guess we should be used to that by now.”

Yuuri smiled, a light feeling swelling in his chest.  _ Hopeful _ . He couldn’t remember the last time he had felt hopeful.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm trying to find something interesting enough to make me finish it! Send halp. I am addicted to kudos, let me know what you think or what I can add to improve it.
> 
> My Tumblr  
> Primary: le-baka-chan  
> Yoi blog: doavictuuridance


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